Optical fibers have been recently utilized for reliable transmission of band-width controlled lightwaves for transmitting telecommunication signals over long distances without significant loss or decay of the original signal. Other uses for optical fibers, primarily as an off-shoot of the basic telecommunications usages, were for the purposes of aesthetic displays of colored light. However, organized displays of colored light produced through the transmission of such light through optical fibers in a patterned array are extremely rare and not commonly accepted or used for display purposes to promote the sale of goods or services, or for entertaining illustrations.
Virtually non-existent are such displays which are capable of imparting organized motion to the display so that the illuminated optical fiber illustration creates the illusion of continuing, sequential motion across one or more display panels. Each display panel supplies a semi-rigid base or planar surface for supporting the fiber optic display in the desired patterned array so that the ends of each optical fiber, arranged individually or in organized bundles, create the pre-determined and desired illuminated effect of the fiber optic display.
However, the single or bundled optical fibers must be implanted by hand into the displays and as yet there is no machine available to do the required operation effectively. The reliable implanting of single or bundled optical fibers in a panel of material, either through manual or automatic manipulation of an inserting apparatus, to accomplish the manufacture of sequential motion illustrations is now required.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the implanting of a plurality of optical fibers in a pre-determined pattern in a fabric panel or panel of similar material having a substantially uniform planar surface for creating and illuminating a sequential motion pattern. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the implanting of a plurality of optical fibers in the fabric panel either manually or automatically and to combine individual optical fibers in ordered bundles as desired.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a manual sighting device for positioning the insertion tool to implant the optical fibers at a pre-determined position in the fabric panel. It is another object of the present invention to provide an automated control for positioning the insertion tool to implant the optical fibers at one or more pre-determined positions in the panel.
It is yet still another object of the present invention to secure the optical fiber, once inserted through the panel, to the surface of the panel by means of applying an adhesive to the outer surfaces of the optical fiber, drawing the fiber against the surface of the panel, and curing the adhesive by exposure to ultraviolet light to affix the optical fiber in the pre-determined position at the surface of the fabric panel.
It is also an additional object of the present invention to secure individual optical fibers as each is inserted through the panel, to the opposing surfaces of the panel by means of applying an adhesive to surfaces and curing the adhesive, by exposure to ultraviolet light or otherwise, to affix the individual optical fiber in the pre-determined posi5ion at the surface of the panel.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.